The objective of this application is to construct a research infrastructure at Meharry Medical College that will facilitate the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research, encourage faculty members to become involved in research, attract minority students to research careers, improve the college's capacity to investigate the health status of minorities, strengthen the college's capacity to collaborate with other institutions in research and research training, and attract investigators from other institutions. The specific aims of the application are (a) to establish an Office of Research Support Services which, under the leadership of scientist-administrator, will match investigators with funding sources, identify consultants to assist developing investigators, provide scientific editing and word processing services, improve the college's fiscal system, and identify the problems related to minority health status which Meharry is best equipped to study: (b) to enhance the college's shared physical resources for research by purchasing or replacing major shared items of equipment, upgrading the animal facility and the electron microscopy unit, and improving library resources; (c) to strengthen the college's capacity to conduct research in neuroscience; and (d) to strengthen the college's capacity to conduct research on the health status of minorities by acquiring a core of behavioral scientists with expertise in research design to examine the problems identified by the Office of Research Support Services.